Randomized Controlled Trial of Mantram Repetition Program Versus Health and Wellness Psychoeducation for Veterans With Comorbid Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Chronic Pain
VA Office of Research and Development
Summary
Approximately 450,000 Veterans Health Administration service users have both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain (CP); treatments that efficiently target both PTSD and CP are limited, and new interventions should address the unique needs of Veterans with PTSD/CP. Mantram Repetition Program (MRP), a meditation-based program, appears well-suited to address these high-priority VA needs. MRP has established effectiveness for treatment of PTSD, is broadly acceptable, can be learned quickly and applied flexibly. However, rigorous testing is needed for pain-related outcomes among a PTSD/CP population. The proposed study will include a randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of MRP for PTSD/CP to Health Education while Living with Pain among a sample of 170 Veterans with comorbid PTSD/CP. The primary outcomes will be PTSD symptoms and pain interference. Results from this study will directly inform patient care among the nearly 4% of Veterans with PTSD/CP.
Description
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic, non-malignant pain (CP) are prevalent and costly public health problems, especially among Veterans. Veterans with PTSD/CP utilize more healthcare, have higher rates of insomnia and other psychiatric conditions, increased risk of suicide, worse pain interference, and poorer psychological and social functioning than those with one or neither condition. Mantram Repetition Program (MRP) is a meditation-based treatment that involves silent repetition of a spiritual word combined with one-pointed attention and slowing down. Multiple trials demonstrat…